Ukra

André Filipe Alves Monteiro (born 16 March 1988), known as Ukra, is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays for C.D. Santa Clara mainly as a winger.

This article is about the footballer. For the model rocket organisation, see United Kingdom Rocketry Association.
This name uses Portuguese naming customs: the first or maternal family name is Alves and the second or paternal family name is Monteiro.

Ukra
Personal information
Full name André Filipe Alves Monteiro
Date of birth (1988-03-16) 16 March 1988
Place of birth Famalicão, Portugal
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Winger
Club information
Current team
 Santa Clara
Number 7
Youth career
1999–2001 Famalicão
2001–2007 Porto
2003–2004 → Padroense (loan)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007–2013 Porto 2 (0)
2007–2008 → Varzim (loan) 21 (1)
2008–2010 → Olhanense (loan) 58 (7)
2011–2012 → Braga (loan) 18 (4)
2012–2013 → Rio Ave (loan) 26 (1)
2013–2016 Rio Ave 84 (9)
2016–2017 Al-Fateh 19 (5)
2018 CSKA Sofia 1 (0)
2018– Santa Clara 41 (1)
National team‡
2003 Portugal U16 5 (2)
2004–2005 Portugal U17 15 (1)
2005–2006 Portugal U18 2 (0)
2007 Portugal U19 5 (0)
2008 Portugal U20 2 (0)
2008–2010 Portugal U21 16 (3)
2015 Portugal 1 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 18 October 2020
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 31 March 2015

Club career

Born in Vila Nova de Famalicão, Braga District, Ukra began playing football for F.C. Famalicão, moving at age 13 to FC Porto to complete his formation. In the 2007–08 campaign he got his first taste of first-team football, spending one season on loan to another northern club, Varzim S.C. in the second division.

In the following two years, Ukra continued on loan, now in the south of the country with S.C. Olhanense.[1] He scored six goals in 30 matches in his debut season, helping the Algarve team return to the Primeira Liga after 34 years; in November 2009, it was reported that the player was being scouted by Newcastle United of the Football League Championship after an under-21 match against England at Wembley in which he played the full 90 minutes.[2]

In January 2011, Ukra was loaned to S.C. Braga,[3] contributing solidly as the Minho side finished fourth and qualified to the UEFA Europa League by netting twice, notably in a 3–1 home win against Vitória de Guimarães in a local derby.[4][5] He did not participate in the club's Europa League runner-up campaign, being cup-tied after having appeared in the competition for Porto.

Ukra was again loaned to Braga for 2011–12, spending however the better part of the season on the sidelines due to injury.[6][7] He spent the next four years with fellow league team Rio Ave FC, the first on loan;[8][9] he scored his first goal for the latter on 2 February 2013 to help the hosts defeat Sporting CP 2–1,[10] and also netted twice during the team's runner-up run in the 2013–14 edition of the Taça de Portugal.[11][12]

On 18 July 2016, free agent Ukra signed with Al-Fateh SC from the Saudi Professional League.[13] In February 2018, in the same capacity, he joined Bulgaria's PFC CSKA Sofia.[14] He made his first (and only) official appearance for the latter on 31 March, in the 4–1 home win over PFC Botev Plovdiv in a league match, coming on as a substitute during the second half;[15] in June, he was released.[16]

Ukra returned to Portugal's top flight on 8 August 2018, signing with newly promoted C.D. Santa Clara.[17] After making 23 appearances in his first season in the Azores, he was given a two-year contract extension.[18]

International career

In mid-2009, courtesy of his solid Olhanense displays, Ukra was summoned for the Portugal under-21s.[19] He represented the nation at the 2007 UEFA European Under-19 Championship,[20] and also took part in the unsuccessful qualifying campaign for the 2007 European Under-21 Championship.[21][22]

Ukra made his debut for the full side on 31 March 2015, coming on as a 46th-minute substitute for João Mário in a 0–2 friendly defeat against Cape Verde in Estoril.[23]

Personal life

Ukra's nickname derives from his youth, when his thin-blond hair led to him being called "Ukrainian" ("Ucraniano" in Portuguese), which was then shortened to "Ukra".[24]

Club statistics
As of 30 January 2012[25]
Club Season League Cup League Cup Europe Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Varzim 2007–08 211310000242
Total 211310000242
Olhanense 2008–09 306216000387
2009–10 281001000291
Total 587217000678
Porto 2010–11 2030102080
Total 2030102080
Braga 2010–11 122001000132
2011–12 0000000000
Total 122001000132
Career total 931082902011212

Honours

Porto

Olhanense

References
  1. "Dragõezinhos de Olhão procuram chegar a bom Porto" [Little dragons from Olhão trying to reach a good Port ("Porto" in English, pun on club name)]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 4 October 2009. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  2. Doyle, Paul (15 November 2009). "Stuart Pearce's shuffle puts young Portugal in the shade". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 18 November 2009. Retrieved 22 November 2009.
  3. "Ukra and Marco Ramos join Braga as Arsenalistas continue squad overhaul". PortuGOAL. 24 January 2011. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
  4. "Paços prova em Braga que está na luta pela Europa" [Paços prove they fight for Europe in Braga]. Público (in Portuguese). 20 February 2011. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  5. "Sp. Braga-V. Guimarães, 3–1 (ficha)" [Sp. Braga-V. Guimarães, 3–1 (match sheet)] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 11 April 2011. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  6. "Ukra vai ser operado ao joelho esquerdo" [Ukra to undergo left knee surgery]. Record (in Portuguese). 28 July 2011. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  7. "Ukra esperou 266 dias para ter os 11 minutos" [Ukra waited 266 days to have the 11 minutos]. Record (in Portuguese). 6 February 2012. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  8. "Esperança por Ukra" [Hoping on Ukra]. Record (in Portuguese). 6 April 2013. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  9. "Ukra fica no Rio Ave por três épocas" [Ukra stays in Rio Ave for three seasons] (in Portuguese). Rio Ave F.C. 7 August 2013. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  10. "Rio Ave 2–1 Sporting (final)" [Rio Ave 2–1 Sporting (end)] (in Portuguese). Rádio Renascença. 2 February 2013. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  11. "Penálti de Ukra nos descontos coloca Rio Ave nos "quartos"" [Injury-time Ukra penalty puts Rio Ave in "last eight"] (in Portuguese). Rádio e Televisão de Portugal. 4 January 2014. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  12. "Rio Ave vence Sp. Braga e volta 30 anos depois à final da Taça de Portugal (vídeo)" [Rio Ave beat Sp. Braga and return to Portuguese Cup final 30 years later (video)] (in Portuguese). TSF. 16 April 2014. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  13. "Ukra é o novo reforço do Al-Fateh de Sá Pinto" [Ukra is the new addition of Sá Pinto's Al-Fateh]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 18 July 2016. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  14. "ЦСКА парафира с португалец" [CSKA get started with a Portuguese] (in Bulgarian). Gong.bg. 13 February 2018. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  15. "ЦСКА – Ботев (Пловдив) 4:1" [CSKA – Botev (matchcast) 4:1] (in Bulgarian). Topsport. 31 March 2018. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
  16. "ЦСКА се раздели с петима футболисти" [CSKA part ways with five players] (in Bulgarian). CSKA Sofia. 7 June 2018. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
  17. "Ukra é reforço do Santa Clara" [Ukra is addition for Santa Clara] (in Portuguese). Rádio Renascença. 8 August 2018. Retrieved 20 July 2019.
  18. "Ukra renova pelo Santa Clara por duas temporadas" [Ukra renews for two seasons for Santa Clara]. Record (in Portuguese). 21 June 2019. Retrieved 20 July 2019.
  19. "Portugal in Cruz control". UEFA. 4 September 2009. Archived from the original on 8 September 2009. Retrieved 27 November 2009.
  20. "Sub-19: Portugal empata com Espanha e tem apuramento em risco" [Under-19: Portugal draw with Spain and risk not going through]. Público (in Portuguese). 18 July 2007. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  21. "Oceano com maré cheia de golos" [Ocean ("Oceano" in English, pun on manager's name) with tideful of goals] (in Portuguese). Rádio e Televisão de Portugal. 4 September 2009. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  22. "Portugal vence Grécia e mantém esperança na qualificação" [Portugal beat Greece and remain hopeful in qualifying]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 17 November 2009. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  23. "Portugal 0–2 Cape Verde Islands". BBC Sport. 31 March 2015. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  24. Lima, Fábio (30 September 2009). "Entrevista com Ukra" [Interview with Ukra] (in Portuguese). Notícias do Futebol. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
  25. "Ukra". Soccerway. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
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